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No need to save Franklin in early going

No need to save Franklin in early going

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CINCINNATI -- Ryan Franklin is having a fine year. You just might not know it by his save total.

Franklin recorded his first save in 2 1/2 weeks on Friday, tiptoeing through a treacherous ninth inning to preserve a 4-3 Cardinals win. It was Franklin's eighth save of the year. Ironically, his first save since April also featured his first run allowed since April 16.

The Cardinals have worked hard in recent years to make sure that Franklin isn't overworked in the early part of the season. It's been a different challenge lately, though, as Franklin recently pitched just three times in a 16-day stretch.

"It wasn't more difficult [after the limited work]," Franklin said. "I'd rather it have been boring, 1-2-3. Sometimes it doesn't happen like that. These guys are known for coming back."

Franklin permitted an infield single and a broken-bat single before a force play brought home a run. He got out of the inning when Ramon Hernandez hit into a double play.

"I wasn't rattled," he said. "I was confident. The way it arrived was, a groundball, a broken bat for a base hit, and a groundball that just wasn't hit hard enough.